Nature's Majesty and Human Harmony: Exploring the Chinese Perspective in Ming and Qing Dynasty Art
Mostafa Malek
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???? In Chinese art during the Ming and Qing periods, art forms such as birds, landscapes, flowers, and gardens show the unique views of artists and their culture about nature, which reflects their cultural attitude towards this subject. In this article, I reflect on the attitude of these artists by examining some of these paintings and their elements and how landscape paintings of gardens, mountains, birds, and flowers can convey a different quality of nature. I will also discuss how Chinese views of nature differed from other cultures during the Ming and Chinese periods.
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???? In 1644, the Manchus were a semi-nomadic people from the Northeast who conquered the Ming state while it collapsed and founded the Chinese dynasty. Therefore, these two periods were?completely?continuous and close to each other, so their art is also very similar and close to each other. (fig. 1)
???? One of the famous painters of the Ming Dynasty was Chen Hongshou, who was skilled in painting strange human faces, flowers, birds, and landscapes.?One of his famous paintings is "A Tall Pine and Daoist Immortal," in which the artist includes his?own?face in addition to?the landscape and garden.
???? Wang Jian was a famous painter of the Qing period, and one of his famous works is "White Clouds over Xiao and Xiang." He,?who was?one of the six master painters of the early Qing period, recorded his skills in this painting using ink and painting techniques on paper. (fig. 2)
???? By examining landscape paintings in Chinese art, we often see the drawing of magnificent mountains and peaceful rivers and valleys.?It seems that most?of the?painters aim to convey nature's grandeur, its inspiration, and its endless beauty.?In this period, painters used?similar?techniques such as ink washing and precise brushwork to evoke a sense of harmony between humans and the human world with nature. The paintings usually show single figures or small groups?in the midst of?vast landscapes to emphasize the insignificance and smallness of human existence in front of the enormous and endless nature. Also, during these periods, Chinese artists delicately and accurately depicted flowers and birds that show the fleeting moments of natural life.?These paintings have?themes of?vitality, interconnectedness, and renewal for all living beings.?Also, these paintings?manifest?artists' appreciation for the simple pleasures of life and their desire to stay away from the complexities of urban life.? (fig. 3)
??? Gardens in Chinese culture are not human-cultivated spaces but complex landscapes in?completely?natural environments. The gardens in these two periods - like the classical gardens of Suzhou - have meandering paths. They also feature carefully designed artificial hills and tranquil ponds. The gardens embody the artist's?personal?experiences of being fully engaged and connected with nature, where visitors can seek refuge from the chaos of urban living and indulge in the sights, scents, and sounds of the natural world.?There?seem to be?no spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors?in the original text.
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???? As a result, we see distinct views of nature in the landscape, flower, garden, and bird paintings of the Ming and Qing periods in China. The inspiring greatness of the natural world and the infinity of nature are well evident in these paintings.?The smallness of humans is?a very small?part of some of these paintings, and it shows the smallness of humans against?the?infinite power and greatness?of nature.?The?paintings?from the Ming and Qing periods depict the Chinese view of nature, emphasizing the connection between humans and the natural world.?They provide the pleasure of immersing in nature and a sense of human harmony with it?to the viewers.?This pleasure is associated with the importance of harmony, balance, and renewal.
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